630.7 
S09b 
no  ,94 


UNIVERSITY  OF 
ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 
AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 
AGRICULTURE 


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University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/alfalfaredclover9419wils 


Circuit,  ling’  copy 


Bulletin  94 


AgricuitTiral  Librarv 

January,  1906 


SOUTH  DAKOTA 

Agricultural  College 


EXPERIMENT  STATION 


BROOKINGS,  SOUTH  DAKOTA 


ALFALFA  and  RED  CLOVER 


DEPARTMENT  OF  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY 


News  Printing  Co. 
Aberdeen,  S.  D. 


GOVERNING  BOARD 


Board  of  Regents 


Hon.  1.  W.  Goodner,  President Pierre,  S.  D. 

Hon.  F.  A.  Spafford Flandreau,  S.  D. 

Hon.  R.  M.  Slocum Herreid,  S.  D. 

Hon.  A.  W.  Burtt Huron,  S.  D. 

Hon.  M.  F.  Greeley Gary,  S.  D. 


Hon.  I.  D.  Aldrich  (Secretary  of  Regents)  . . . .Big  Stone,  S.  D. 


STATION  COUNCIL 

R.  M.  Slocum ' Regent  Member 

F.  A.  Spafford Regent  Member 

Robert  L.  Slagle,  President  of  the  College 
James  W.  Wilson,  Director  and  Agriculturist 

N.  E.  Hansen,  Vice-Director Horticulturist 

James  H.  Shepard Chemist 

W.  A.  Wheeler Botanist  and  Entomologist 

E.  L.  Moore Veterinarian  and  Zoologist 

R.  A.  Larson Secretary  and  Accountant 


IL  G.  Skinner.  . . 

John  S.  Cole 

Frank  Norton... 
Charles  Haralson 
T.  B.  Kelly 


Assistants 

Animal  Husbandry 

Agronomy 

Chemistry 

Horticulture 

Stenographer 


Any  farmer  of  the  state  can  have  the  Bulletins  of  this 
Station  free  upon  application  to  the  Director.  ' 


ALFALFA  AND  RED  CLOVER 


James  W.  Wilson 


H.  G.  Skinner 


INTRODUCTION 

This  bulletin  presents  the  results  obtained  during  the  past 
three  years  with  alfalfa  and  clover  at  this  Station  and  the 
Forage  Testing  Station  at  Highmore ; also  a few  letters  con- 
taining practical  experience  in  growing  these  legumes  in 
different  parts  of  the  state.  This  latter  feature  is  included 
to  show  that  these  plants  are  at  home  in  nearly  all  sections 
of  the  state  east  of  the  Missouri  river,  as  well  as  in  the  agri- 
cultural districts  of  the  Black  Hills. 

Probably  no  other  feature  is  of  greater  importance  to  our 
agricultural  development  than  the  introduction  of  leguminous 
crops.  They  are  valuable  wherever  grown.  They  not  only 
produce  a large  yield  of  hay,  but  have  no  equal  as  improvers 
of  the  soil,  by  storing  up  nitrogen  in  their  roots  for  the  use 
of  succeeding  crops.  Nitrogen  is  an  element  required  by 
all  plants  for  their  development.  The  greatest  question  con- 
fronting the  American  farmer  in  some  localities  today  is, 
what  is  the  cheapest  source  of  nitrogen.  Farmers  in  the  older 
states  find  commercial  fertilizers  one  of  their  principal  prob- 
lems. Stringent  laws  have  been  enacted  to  control  the  prepa- 
ration and  sale  of  commercial  fertilizers. 

Experience  teaches  that  the  fertility  of  the  soil  can  be 
retained,  and  in  many  cases  improved,  by  a careful  system 
of  rotation  of  crops;  or,  in  other  words,  the  preceding  crop 
makes  plant  food  available  for  the  next  crop.  This  is  ac- 


4 


complished  by  growing  grains  and  grasses  that  will  not  only 
improve  the  mechanical  condition  but  the  fertility  of  the 
soil  as  well.  Such  plants  are  not  soil-robbers,  but  soil-restor- 
ers, having  a large  root-system  extending  down  as  far  as 
needed  to  water.  Some  believe  that  alfalfa  and  clover  are 
adapted  to  a wet  soil,  but  this  is  not  the  case.  All  seeds  re- 
quire moisture,  heat  and  air  for  germination ; when  the  soil 
is  too  wet  and  cold  the  air  is  excluded,  and  as  a result  most 
of  the  seed  fails  to  germinate.  This  condition  should  be 
avoided  in  all  cases.  When  these  crops  are  properly  made 
into  hay  they  are  rich  in  ‘"protein,”  or  flesh-forming  food,  and 
when  fed  in  conjunction  with  our  highly  carbonaceous  grains, 
such  as  corn  and  barley,  furnish  a better  balanced  ration  for 
live  stock  than  when  fed  native  prairie  hay.  This  is  a factor 
in  nutrition  which  must  be  recognized,  sooner  or  later,  by 
all  feeders  for  economical  gains. 

It  is  true  that  protein  can  be  purchased  in  the  form  of 
by-products,  but  usually  at  a prohibitive  price,  owing  to  dis- 
tance from  market.  We  do  not  insist  that  these  crops  are 
suitable  to  every  locality  in  the  state,  but  on  account  of  their 
great  value  for  feeding  consider  them  worthy  of  a trial. 


ALFALFA 


Experience  shows  that  a good  stand  of  alfalfa  can  be  se- 
cured if  ordinary  care  be  exercised  in  preparing  the  seed  bed. 
It  is  not  a plant  that  does  well  when  sowed  on  the  native 
prairie  sod  after  disking.  On  the  College  farm  during  the 
spring  of  1904  a small  area  of  native  sod  was  disked  five  times ; 
part  was  sowed  to  alfalfa  and  part  to  clover.  The  next 
spring  only  a few  scattering  plants  of  alfalfa  could  be  found, 
while  a fair  stand  of  clover  was  secured.  As  to  the  variety 
of  alfalfa  to  sow,  good  results  have  been  obtained  with  both 
the  Turkestan  and  the  American  varieties.  Neither  have 
winter-killed  during  the  time,  and  the  yield  per  acre  in  each 
case  has  been  good.  A field  sowed  to  Turkestan  alfalfa  in 
1899  at  Highmore  Forage  Testing  Station  still  produces  good 
yields.  The  quantity  of  seed  to  sow  per  acre  depends  largely 
on  the  way  it  is  sowed,  requiring  more  if  broadcast  than 
when  drilled.  We  suggest  twenty  pounds  when  drilled  and 
twenty-five  pounds  when  sown  broadcast.  The  time  to  sow 
depends  upon  the  condition  of  soil.  The  soil  must  be  warm 
and  in  good  condition  of  tilth.  Contrary  to  what  is  sometimes 
supposed,  alfalfa  does  not  require  a wet  soil,  but  one  that  is 
well  drained,  with  a loose  subsoil.  These  conditions  have 
been  found  to  be  well  suited  for  growing  alfalfa.  The  plants 
will  stand  cutting  several  times  during  the  first  year.  This 
method  should  be  resorted  to  when  sown  on  a field  badly  in- 
fested with  weeds,  in  order  to  secure  a stand  of  alfalfa. 

In  1902  a field,  rented  by  the  College  farm,  which  had  been 
cropped  for  several  years  and  become  foul  with  mustard,  was 
sowed  to  alfalfa.  It  was  cut  three  times  during  the  growing 
season,  and  the  result  was  that  in  1903  there  was  practically 


6 


no  mustard  to  be  seen,  but  a first  class  stand  of  alfalfa  was 
obtained.  Experiments  are  now  under  way  in  disking  alfalfa 
fields  to  thicken  the  stand. 

When  made  for  hay  it  should  be  cut  when  about  one-tenth 
of  the  plants  are  in  bloom.  If  allowed  to  remain  until  in 
full  bloom  the  per  cent  of  woody  fibre  in  the  stalk  is  in- 
creased, and  as  a result  the  hay  is  less  palatable  and  di- 
gestible. When  cut  for  seed,  the  second  growth  is  preferable 
to  the  first,  because  the  plants  at  this  time  are  of  a more  even 
growth  and  have  reached  a more  uniform  degree  of  maturity 
than  with  the  first  growth.  During  the  season  of  1905  a 
nurse  crop  of  two  bushels  of  barley  was  grown  with  alfalfa, 
with  good  success,  probably  owing  to  the  unusual  amount 
of  rainfall  during  the  growing  season,  but  under  ordinary 
conditions  we  do  not  advocate  the  growing  of  a nurse  crop. 
H.  M.  Cottrell,  in  Bulletin  No.  114,  Kansas  Experiment  Sta- 
tion, states : “Under  no  conditions  should  the  first  cutting 
of  alfalfa  be  allowed  to  seed,  if  it  is  desired  to  maintain  a 
stand  of  alfalfa  on  the  land.  The  alfalfa  should  be  cut  when 
the  greater  proportion  of  the  seeds  are  hard,  but  not  suffi- 
ciently ripe  to  shell.  The  cut  alfalfa  should  be  cured  like 
the  hay,  with  as  little  handling  as  possible,  and  then  stacked. 
Many  of  our  correspondents  have  an  impression  that  alfalfa 
should  be  rotted  after  being  cut.  The  reverse  is  actually 
what  is  needed.  The  alfalfa  should  be  well  cured  and  thor- 
oughly dry  when  put  in  the  stack,  or  there  is  damage  from 
heating,  and  stack-heating  seriously  injures  the  vitality  of 
the  seed.  The  straw  left  after  the  seed  has  been  threshed 
from  the  alfalfa  is  a fairly  good  rough  feed,  although  not 
nearly  equal  to  alfalfa  cut  at  the  proper  time  for  hay.” 


Yields  of  Alfalfa  at  the  Brookings  Station 

Turkestan  alfalfa  sown  May  10,  1903. 

Pounds 
per  Acre 


First  cutting  June  29,  1904 3,237 

Second  cutting  August  15,  1904 2,200 

Total  yield  per  acre 5,437 


7 


Same  Field  in  1905 

Pounds 
per  Acre 


First  cutting  June  21st 2,800 

Second  cutting  September  7th 2,313 

Total  per  acre 5,113 


The  second  growth  in  1905  was  left  for  seed,  but  as  no  seed 
matured,  it  was  cut  for  hay. 

Montana  grown  seed  sowed  in  May,  1903. 

Pounds 
per  Acre 


First  cutting  July  9,  1904 3,417 

Second  cutting  August  13,  1904 2,316 

Total  yield  per  acre.  5,733 


The  Turkestan  seed  was  sown  on  high  ground  and  the  Mon- 
tana grown  seed  was  sown  on  low  ground.  In  both  cases 
the  third  growth  was  pastured  off  with  sheep,  which  did 
not  injure  the  stand  in  the  least.  However,  we  do  not  ad- 
vocate pasturing  close  in  the  fall. 

An  experiment  in  pasturing  alfalfa  with  swine  was  con- 
ducted during  the  summer  of  1905.  This  test  covered  a 
period  from  July  15th  to  September  4th,  inclusive.  The 
second  growth  was  used  with  the  following  results.  The 
object  of  the  test  was  to  determine  the  relative  value  of  alfalfa, 
clover  and  blue  grass  for  pasture.  Equal  areas  of  each  were 
measured  off  and  fenced  hog-tight.  Fifteen  shotes  of  average 
quality  were  selected,  weighed  and  divided  up  into  three  dif- 
ferent lots,  care  being  exercised  to  get  the  lots  as  near  same 
size  and  weight  as  possible.  They  averaged  135  pounds  apiece 
when  put  in.  To  each  lot  was  given  a small  ration  of  ground 
barley  and  separator  milk  throughout  the  test.  Each  lot 
had  all  the  forage  they  could  eat.  The  clover  was  of  the  me- 
dium red  variety  and  second  growth. 

The  following  table  shows  the  kind  of  pasture,  number 
of  pigs  in  lot,  weight  of  lots  at  beginning  of  test,  number  of 
pounds  of  grain  and  milk  allowed  for  each,  weight  at  close. 


8 


number  of  days,  total  gain  for  each  lot,  and  gain  per  head 
daily. 


Kind  of  Pasture 

Number 

of  Pigs 

Weight  of 

Lots  at 

Beginning 

Number 

Pounds 

of  Grain 

Number 

Pounds 

of  Milk 

Weight  at 

Close 

Number 

of  Days 

Total 

Gain  of 

Each  Lot 

Gain 

per  Head 

Daily 

-Clover  

5 

659 

816 

735 

844 

51 

185 

.72 

Blue  grass 

5 

689 

816. 

735 

865 

51 

176 

.69 

Alfalfa  

5 

686 

816 

735 

877 

51 

191 

.75 

The  above  table  shows  that  the  lot  receiving  alfalfa  pasture 
made  the  largest  gain.  Yet  they  made  but  a trifle  more  gain 
than  did  the  lot  receiving  clover  pasture.  There  was  a 
sprinkling  of  white  clover  in  the  blue  grass  pasture,  which 
undoubtedly  assisted  in  the  gain  for  this  lot.  But  it  may 
be  seen  that  the  difference  in  gains  for  the  different  lots 
places  both  alfalfa  and  clover  in  the  lead  for  a pasture  for 
pigs. 


Alfalfa  Pasture  for  Sheep 

During  the  fall  of  1905  an  experiment  was  conducted  in 
turning  sheep  into  alfalfa  pasture.  The  object  was  to  ascer- 
tain which  conditions  were  most  unfavorable  for  this  purpose. 

A field  of  alfalfa  adjoining  a field  of  Bromus  inermis  was 
divided  into  five  small  pastures  and  fifty  head  of  matured 
sheep  were  secured  and  divided  into  equal  lots  for  the  test. 

Pasture  No.  1 contained  alfalfa  alone  and  sheep  were  kept 
in  it  from  the  beginning.  Pasture  No.  2 contained  alfalfa; 
sheep  were  put  in  a dry  yard  at  night  and  turned  in  each  morn- 
ing when  the  dew  was  on.  Pasture  No.  3 was  the  same  as 
No.  1 and  2 ; sheep  were  put  in  dry  yard  at  night  and  turned 
in  each  morning  when  the  dew  was  off.  Pasture  Nos.  4 and 
5 contained  part  alfalfa  and  part  Bromus  inermis.  Sheep 
were  put  in  No.  4 and  allowed  the  run  of  pasture  day  and 
might,  while  those  in  No.  5 were  put  in  dry  yard  at  night 


9 


and  turned  in  each  morning  when  dew  was  off.  In  all  of 
these  tests  no  unusual  results  were  experienced.  One  of  the 
fifty  head  died  during  the  test,  but  after  a close  examination 
the  cause  could  not  be  attributed  to  injurious  effects  from 
eating  alfalfa. 

■ Reports  are  received  from  time  to  time  where  alfalfa  has 
killed  sheep  from  bloating;  however,  this  test  indicates  that 
danger  from  this  cause  is  not  great.  There  is  always  danger 
of  loss  when  a change  is  made  from  one  feed  to  another,  and 
great  care  should  be  exercised  not  to  allow  the  animals  to 
gorge  themselves. 

In  an  experiment  in  feeding  common  dairy  cows  alfalfa 
during  the  winter  of  1902  and  1903  it  was  found  that  it  re- 
quired about  one-sixth  more  Bromus  inermis  hay  than  it 
did  alfalfa  hay  to  produce  a pound  of  butter-fat.  During  this 
period  the  cows  were  receiving  practically  the  same  quantity 
of  grain,  but  made  a gain  in  weight  of  ten  pounds  per  head 
more  than  the  lot  receiving  Bromus  inermis,  which  indicates 
the  value  of  this  feed  as  a flesh-producer. 

The  following  letters  show  that  alfalfa  and  clover  are  being 
grown  in  nearly  every  section  of  the  state  east  of  the  Missouri 
river,  also  in  the  Black  Hills  district. 


Yields  at  Forage  Testing  Station  at  Highmore 

Plot  B5  was  sown  to  Turkestan  alfalfa  in  1899,  and  is  the 
only  one  any  record  can  be  given  of  for  a number  of  years. 

Turkestan  alfalfa  sown  in  1899.  Plot  B5.  One-fourth  acre. 


Pounds 
per  Acre 

First  cutting  in  1903,  June  27th.  2,080 

Second  cutting  in  1903,  August  9th 980 


Total  yield  per  acre 3,060 


In  1904  the  latter  part  of  the  season  was  so  very  dry  that 


10 


no  second  crop  was  cut.  The  yield  of  first  crop  was  at  the 
rate  of  1,672  pounds  per  acre.  'In  1905  the  same  field: 

Pounds 
per  Acre 


First  cutting  June  23d 2,148 

Second  cutting  August  7th 1,412 

Total  yield 3,560 


It  may  here  be  stated  that  the  second  cutting  met  with 
serious  loss,  before  the  weight  was  taken,  by  storm  and  rain. 
From  the  above  facts  it  may  be  seen  that  this  variety  of 
alfalfa  has  thrived  for  seven  years  in  what  is  considered  to 
be  one  of  the  driest  sections  in  the  state. 

In  1905  five  one-tenth  acre  plots  of  alfalfa  from  various 
foreign  sources  were  sown  on  very  high  land.  These  plots 
were  cut  once  during  the  season,  on  July  22d.  About  one- 
fifth  of  the  hay  thus  obtained  was  pigeon  grass  and  the  re- 
maining four-fifths  alfalfa.  The  average  yield  from  these 
five  one-tenth  acre  plots  for  this  cutting  was  at  the  rate  of 
1,750  pounds  per  acre. 

The  season  of  1905  was  of  course  an  unusually  wet  one 
for  this  part  of  the  state.  In  ordinary  seasons  no  such  yield 
could  be  obtained  the  first  year  of  sowing. 


Reports  From  Correspondents 

Mr.  Byron  Andrews  of  Erwin  writes : ‘'About  twelve  years 
ago  a small  patch  of  medium  red  clover  was  noticed  growing 
on  the  banks  of  a grade  on  the  road  two  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Erwin.  No  one  knows  its  origin,  but  it  attracted 
considerable  attention  among  the  farmers,  many  of  whom 
maintained  that  no  new  thing  would  do  well  in  this  country. 
They  did  not  want  anything  to  ‘do  well’  but  wheat,  and  oats 
enough  to  winter  the  necessary  horses.  This  patch  continued 
to  ‘do  well,’  however,  and  still  thrives  and  spreads. 

“About  five  years  ago,  having  wheated  the  rich  black  soil 
of  eastern  Kingsbury  into  the  verge  of  ruin,  the  farmers 
began  to  sow  some  clover,  and  to  date  it  has  done  well.  In 
the  townships  of  Hartland  and  Baker,  with  which  I am 


11 


tnost  familiar,  there  are  probably  four  to  five  hundred  acres  in 
timothy  and  clover  mixed  and  in  pure  clover.  The  medium 
red  is  generally  grown,  although  there  is  some  alsike,  which 
appears  to  do  well. 

‘T  know  of  no  alfalfa  in  this  vicinity  except  a five  acre  ex- 
perimental field  sowed  on  one  of  my  farms  four  miles  south 
of  Erwin  this  season.  I secured  my  seed  from  a seedsman 
in  Wisconsin  at  $14.50  per  hundred  pounds.  It  tested  97  per 
cent  germination.  I prepared  a good  seed  bed  and  sowed 
broadcast  at  the  rate  of  twenty  pounds  to  the  acre,  with  a 
nurse  crop  of  one-half  bushel  of  barley.  I procured  five  sacks 
of  soil  from  an  old  alfalfa  field  on  the  College  farm  at  Brook- 
ings, which  was  thoroughly  infested  with  the  nitrogen  nodule, 
and  sowed  it  broadcast  at  the  rate  of  one  sack  to  the  acre. 
But  I left  a strip  four  rods  wide  across  one  end  of  the  field. 

“The  barley  and  alfalfa  were  cut  September  9th  with  a 
binder,  and  it  was  found  that  much  of  the  alfalfa  was  ripe, 
as  seed  was  observed  on  bed  of  binder. 

“The  alfalfa  came  on  again  and  grew  to  a height  of  eight 
to  twelve  inches  before  October  9th,  when  all  vegetation  was 
killed  by  frost.  In  conclusion  I may  say  I observed  no  dif- 
ference in  the  growth  of  the  plant  where  I sowed  the  soil  to 
inoculate  and  the  strip  on  which  I did  not  sow  the  inoculated 
soil.’’ 

Mr.  Isaac  Lincoln  of  Aberdeen  writes : “My  experiments 
with  alfalfa  and  clover  were  a failure,  but  I am  convinced 
it  was  my  own  fault.  I sowed  some  Kansas  alfalfa  seed,  it 
winter-killed,  and  I plowed  it  up.  I intend  another  year  to 
sow  some  Minnesota  or  South  Dakota  seed  if  I can  get  it;  if 
not,  will  get  some  Montana  seed.” 

Mr.  J.  M.  Dunmire  of  Scotland,  Bon  Homme  county,  writes: 
“I  have  been  raising  clover  since  1901  with  the  best  of  suc- 
cess. Have  cut  crops  of  hay  and  crop  of  seed  each  year.  Hay 
yielded  one  and  one-half  to  two  tons  to  the  acre  first  growth. 
The  second  growth  yielded  two  to  two  and  one-half  bushels 
of  seed  to  the  acre.  I threshed  seed  for  three  years  with  ^ 
common  threshing  machine,  reversing  concave  teeth  and  run 
with  high  power;  however,  I have  a clover  huller  now  and 
am  having  better  success  than  I ever  had  .in  Iowa.  I have 


12 


never  inoculated  the  soil.  I have  always  disked  ground  before 
sowing  seed  and  usually  sow  with  barley  or  speltz  and  disk 
again  and  harrow  well.  Many  of  my  neighbors  are  raising 
clover  successfully  and  find  it  a very  profitable  crop.  I have 
been  raising  alfalfa  successfully  for  the  last  five  years.  I 
cut  first  growth  for  hay  and  second  for  seed.  This  year  has 
been  too  wet  for  alfalfa  seed.  I have  cut  three  crops  for  hay 
and  the  fourth  crop  is  making  quite  a good  growth  for  pas- 
ture. 

*‘As  to  winter-killing,  I have  not  had  any  winter-killed  since 
I have  been  farming  in  South  Dakota.  I have  clover  that 
has  been  sowed  five  years  and  still  is  a good  stand.  I never 
pasture  close  in  the  fall.  I always  sow  one  bushel  of  clover 
and  one  of  timothy,  mixed,  to  eight  acres.  I sowed  thirty 
acres  of  prairie  sod  last  spring  to  clover.  I disked  the  sod, 
sowed  the  seed  and  then  harrowed  well.  I then  hauled  ma- 
nure and  spread  over  it  and  I have  a perfect  stand.” 

Dr.  F.  A.  Spafford,  Flandreau,  states : ‘T  have  had  expe- 
rience in  growing  both  the  common  and  the  Turkestan  va- 
rieties of  alfalfa,  and  I consider  the  Turkestan  variety  away 
ahead  of  the  other.  First  crop  did  not  seed  in  1905.  I con- 
sider it  one  of  the  most  valuable  crops  for  this  country.  It 
does  well  on  both  hill  and  valley.  I have  never  tried  inoculat- 
ing seed  or  soil.” 

Mr.  George  E.  McEathron,  Huron,  writes : ‘T  consider 
alfalfa  and  clover  culture  practicable  in  this  locality.  I do 
not  think  it  necessary  to  inoculate  soil  for  these  crops  in 
South  Dakota.  After  the  first  year  I cut  my  alfalfa  fields 
three  times  and  secured  an  average  yield  of  five  tons  to 
the  acre.  I have  never  allowed  seed  to  mature,  always  cutting 
for  hay.  No  trouble  from  winter-killing  has  been  noticed.” 

Mr.  N.  S.  Tubbs,  Custer,  writes:  ‘T  consider  alfalfa  and 
clover  culture  practicable  in  this  locality.  I have  never  had 
any  experience  in  growing  the  Turkestan  variety  of  alfalfa, 
nor  have  I had  experience  in  inoculating  the  soil.  I cut  my 
alfalfa  three  times  during  the  season  and  receive  a yield  of 
about  two  tons  the  first  cutting  and  one  and  one-half  tons 


13 


the  other  cuttings.  I save  the  second  cutting  for  seed  and 
thresh  with  a common  thresher,  putting  in  some  extra  teeth. 
I received  a yield  of  two  bushels  of  seed  to  the  acre  last  year. 
These  legumes  have  not  winter-killed  since  I Have  been 
growing  them.” 

Mr.  O.  S.  Jones  of  Madison  writes:  “I  began  raising  alfalfa 
on  my  place  two  miles  west  of  Madison  five  years  ago.  The 
soil  is  a dark  loam  with  some  sand  in  it,  lays  level  and  has 
a sand  and  gravel  subsoil.  Water  is  obtained  at  a depth  of 
eight  to  ten  feet.  I have  used  both  the  Turkestan  and  the 
common  alfalfa,  and  I consider  the  latter  the  better  for  my 
land,  as  it  grows  ranker,  with  more  leaf  and  better  color 
than  the  former.  I have  had  the  best  success  in  sowing  about 
the  first  of  May,  without  a nurse  crop.  On  one  four-acre 
piece  seeded  three  years  ago,  I pastured  150  to  175  head  of 
hogs  and  spring  pigs  for  two  months  this  year  and  also  cut 
between  fifteen  and  sixteen  tons  of  hay  in  two  cuttings. 

“I  sowed  twelve  acres  this  year  in  two  six-acre  fields,  that 
has  been  pastured,  continually,  with  175  head  of  hogs  and 
pigs  and  ten  head  of  young  cattle  since  early  in  July,  and  a 
great  deal  of  it  matured  seed. 

“I  could  have  cut  these  pieces  in  August  with  profit  had  I 
so  desired,  and  then  had  plenty  of  growth  to  have  kept  the 
stock  in  pasture,  changing  pastures  each  week.” 

Mr.  N.  O.  P.  Synoground,  Groton,  writes : ‘‘I  consider 

alfalfa  and  clover  culture  practicable  in  this  locality.  I also 
consider  the  Turkestan  variety  superior  to  the  home-grown 
varieties.  Cut  the  field  twice  the  first  year  and  received  four 
tons  per  acre.  I have  never  cut  any  for  seed.  These  crops 
have  not  winter-killed  here.” 

Mr.  J.  M.  Erion,  Mitchell,  writes:  “I  consider  alfalfa  and 
clover  culture  entirely  practicable  in  this  locality  if  properly 
seeded.  The  Turkestan  variety  has  not  proved  to  be  superior 
to  other  varieties.  The  soil  does  not  need  to  be  inoculated, 
although  I have  had  no  experience  in  this  line. 

‘T  cut  alfalfa  three  times  and  red  clover  twice,  the  latter 
once  for  hay  and  once  for  seed.  Alfalfa  has  yielded  five  tons 


14 


per  acre,  and  red  clover  in  1904  three  tons  of  hay  at  first  cut- 
ting. In  1904  clover  yielded  one  and  one-half  bushels  of  seed 
to  the  acre  second  cutting.  Thresh  with  a clover  attachment 
to  a common  separator.  Red  clover  killed  out  a trifle  by  re- 
moving second  growth  for  seed,  but  was  thicker  the  second 
year  than  the  first,  from  shattered  seed.” 

Mr.  P.  W.  Peterson  of  Vermillion  writes:  “I  certainly  do 
consider  clover  and  alfalfa  culture  practicable  in  this  locality. 
This  spring  (1905)  I sowed  ten  acres  of  alfalfa  without  in- 
oculation and  got  a splendid  stand.  I cut  one  very  good  crop 
for  hay  in  July  and  a light  crop  in  October.  Tenants  on  my 
farm  sowed  ten  acres  at  the  same  time  and  inoculated  their 
land ; received  a good  stand,  but  not  so  good  a growth  as  I 
did,  and  they  only  cut  their  field  once.  I know  of  alfalfa 
fields  that  have  been  cut  three  times  each  year  for  the  past 
ten  years.  The  first  cutting  yielded  about  two  tons  to  the 
acre.” 

Mr.  A.  E.  Chamberlain  of  Howard  writes : ‘‘I  certainly  do 
consider  clover  and  alfalfa  culture  practicable  in  my  locality. 
I do  not  consider  it  necessary  to  inoculate  the  soil  for  their 
culture.  Clover  has  wintered  perfectly  in  my  section.” 


CLOVER 

Several  experiments  in  growing  clover  on  the  College  farm 
have  been  conducted  during  the  past  three  years.  While  the 
yields  were  not  so  large  as  those  with  alfalfa,  it  was  consid- 
ered a profitable  crop.  It  was  found  to  be  of  great  value  to 
sow  on  native  prairie  grass  and  Bromus  inermis  grass  after 
they  had  been  thoroughly  disked. 

Method  of  Sowing 

As  soon  as  frost  was  out  of  the  ground  in  spring  the  fields 
were  disked  four  times  in  order  to  secure  a good  seed  bed. 
The  seed  was  then  sowed  at  the  rate  of  ten  to  twelve  pounds 
to  the  acre,  and  harrowed  in.  Perfect  stands  were  secured 
in  each  case.  The  medium  red  variety  was  used,  because  it 
does  not  grow  so  rank  as  the  mammoth  varieties,  and  is 
therefore  better  for  hay.  The  seed  was  obtained  from  a 


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grower  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state  and  was  of  a high 
germination  quality.  No  trouble  has  been  experienced  from 
killing  out  in  the  winter,  but  care  has  been  taken  not  to  pas- 
ture it  close  in  the  fall. 

The  following’ yield Trom  a field  one  year  old  shows  the 
increase  in  the  quantity  of  hay  over  the  sod-bound  field  of 
Bromus  inermis ; 

Field  A — Where  Clover  Was  Sowed 

First  cutting  July  23,  1904,  yield  3,484  pounds  per  acre; 
second  cutting  September  5th,  yield  2,000  pounds  per  acre; 
total  yield,  5,484  pounds  per  acre. 

Field  B — Bromus  Inermis 

First  cutting  July  23,  1904,  yield  3,294  pounds  per  acre. 
Second  growth  too  short  to  cut. 

Same  field  in  1905  : 

First  cutting  July  17th,  yield  3,966  pounds  per  acre;  second 
cutting  August  30th,  yield  3,889  pounds  per  acre ; total  yield 
7,855  pounds  per  acre. 

In  1904  another  field  of  Bromus  inermis  was  disked  and 
sowed  to  clover,  with  the  following  results : 

Field  C — Where  Clover  Was  Sown 

First  cutting  July  18,  1905,  yield  5,131  pounds  per  acre; 
second  cutting  September  9th,  yield  4,227  pounds  per  acre ; 
total  yield  per  acre,.  9,358  pounds. 

Field  D — Bromus  Inermis 

Cut  July  24,  1905,  yield  2,360  pounds  per  acre.  Second 
growth  too  short  to  cut. 

With  the  exception  of  Field  D,  all  were  treated  the  same, 
disked  and  manured. 

The  poorest  yield  of  hay  was  obtained  from  Field  D,  where 
no  manure  was  applied,  while  the  best  yield  was  obtained 
from  Field  C,  where  clover  was  sown  and  manured. 

The  above  cut  shows  fields  making  largest  and  smallest 
yields. 


ii 


